Pack advancer

ABSTRACT

A vertically movable platform supports a pack of sheets and is urged upwardly to bring the uppermost sheet against a detent which is normally held at a fixed level above the platform. The detent is then raised above its normal fixed level to release the uppermost sheet for feeding, and the platform is held against rising while the detent is in its raised position. A sheet demand responsive mechanism actuates the detent and the platform holding means in a coordinated manner.

lUHWQd States Patent 1 1 1111 3,739,516 Debray 1 May 1, 1973 54] PACKADVANCER 3,179,548 4 1965 Debray ..271 62 ux Inventor: Maurice 90Laurier Street, 3,183,138 5/1965 Mattmgly et a1 ..271/62 R X V lleyfi lQu be Canada FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS [22] Filed: Jan. 5, 1970726,930 3/1955 Great Britain ..271/62 21 l. N 7 9 1 App 0 7 PrimaryExaminerEvon C. Blunk Related US Application Data AssistantExaminerBruce H. Stoner, Jr.

Att0rneyFetherstonhaugh and C0. [63] Continuation of Ser. No. 541,941,April 8, 1966, abandoned. 52 us. (:1. ..271/62 R, l56/45l A verticallymovable Platform supports a Pack of 51 1m. (:1. ..B65h 1/12 Sheets andis urged upwardly bring the uppermost [58] Field of Search 271/62 R 62 A28 sheet against a detent which is normally held at a fixed 271/30156/45" 452 level above the platform. The detent is then raised aboveits normal fixed level to release the uppermost sheet for feeding, andthe platform is held against ris- [56] References Clted ing while thedetent is in its raised position. A sheet UNITED STATES PATENTS demandresponsive mechanism actuates the detent and the platform holding meansin a coordinated 1,660,467 2/1928 Anderson ..271/62 ux manna 2,342,5712/1944 Carroll ..271/62 R X 2,468,922 5/1949 Cook ..271/62 UX 5 Claims,2 Drawing Figures 0 A 3933 1 Fig I I \7 {u 2 l\ I I 1 17 3 2B 1 in? h? 115' i I I J 1 ii" 5 PACK ADVANCER This application is a continuation ofapplication Ser. No. 541,941 filed Apr. 8, 1966 and now abandoned.

This invention relates to sheet fed machines such as can labelingmachines, sheet folding machines, printing presses, and the like, and inparticular the invention concerns itself with an improved pack advancerfor such machines.

The pack advancer comprises actuating spring means which urges a pile ofsheets and the means supporting the pile upwards to press the top of thepile against a projection or detent maintained at a predetermined fixedlevel where the top sheet is held captive and is subsequently releasedfor feeding.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a pack advancerwhich brings each top sheet of the pile at a fixed level, each sheetbeing alternately held captive and released under control in any orderrequired by a working machine.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a pack advanceras above actuated by a step by step actuating spring means.

Other objects will appear in the following disclosure and annexeddrawings.

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary side elevational view of a sheet fed machineembodying the pack advancer of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary side elevational view showing a modifiedembodiment.

With reference to FIG. 1, a sheet fed machine such as a can labelingmachine has a frame including upright posts 1 cross connected by meansof longitudinal braces 2 and 6 and transverse braces (not shown)supporting the rails 4. The pack advancer of the invention comprises aplatform 7 supported by a rack shaft 8 slidably guided in sleeve 9. Abrace (not shown) joining braces 2, holds in place the sleeve 9. Anopening made in the sleeve 9, permits the movement of the platform 7 bymeans ofa spur gear 11 moving the rack shaft 8. An arrester wheel 12 isintegrally rotatable with the spur gear 11 and mounted on the same shaft14 journaled in suitable bearings (not shown) on the braces 2. Acompression spring 18, backed by a nut 17 screwed on rack shaft 8,pushes on the sleeve 9 to urge the platform 7 A well known adhesivedistributor 32 may be inserted between the projection 20 and the topsheet or label. This adhesive distributor is resiliently resting on thetrailing part of the top label. The level of the leading part D of thetop label must be adjusted, by means of nut 29, to be slightly above therails 4 so that the passing cans can pick up the labels. The arresterwheel 12 may be provided, if desired, with a handle 13 for manuallylowering the platform to place a fresh pile of sheets thereon.

A lever 30 is pivotally mounted on the arm 22 by means of a pin 31 fixedto the arm 22. The lever 30 carries at one end a brake shoe 33adjustably mounted on lever 30 by means of a nut-and-bolt arrangement35. The brake shoe 33 is normally released from the arrester wheel 12but is in a position to contact it. A rod 36 has one end pivotallymounted on the other end of the lever 30 by means of a pin 37 fixed tothe rod 36. The other end of the rod 36 is pivotally mounted on one ofthe ends of the arm 38 by means of a pin 39 fixed to the rod 36. Themiddle of the arm 38 is fixed to a shaft 40 by means of a set screw 42or the like. A bolt 43 is screwed in a bracket 44 fixed to the brace 6.The bolt 43 contacts the other end of the arm 38 to limit the depressionof the rod 36 in rest position and also to adjust, with the bolt and nutarrangement 35, the distance between the arrester wheel 12 and the brakeshoe 33 in rest position.

A pair of angled levers 45 are secured at one end to shaft 40 which isjournaled in suitable bearings on the two braces 6. A roller or thelike, extends between the free ends of the two levers 45, said rollerbeing carried by a shaft 46 which is journaled in suitable bearings onthe free ends of the levers 45. The roller 50 is located in the path ofthe cans to be actuated by a can when said can is to release a labelfrom under the projection 20 and/or the adhesive distributor 32.

When the roller 50 is not actuated, the arm 38 contacts the bolt 43 andthe brake shoe 33 releases the arrester wheel 12 because of the weightof the roller 50 or by means of a small tension spring 47 tied at oneend to and a pack of sheets 19 upwardly towards the rails 4 acting as acan runway.

The pile of sheets is elevated by the spring 18 until the top of thepile contacts the projection or detent 20 of the angled arm 21 if thereis no adhesive or glue distributor between this projection 20 and thetop of the pile. The other end of the arm 21 is secured to the screwedend of the arm 22 by means of the nuts 24 and 27. The arm 21 is movablewith the arm 22 slidably guided in sleeves 23 and 25. The sleeve 23 isheld in place by means of brace 41 fixed to the frame of the machine.The sleeve 25 is held in place by means of brace 2. A compression spring26, backed by a nut 28 screwed on arm 22, abuts sleeve 23 to depress-thearms 21 and 22, but a nut 29 screwed on the arm 22 and bearing on thesleeve 23 limits the downward movement of the arms 21 and 22 and makesthe adjustment of the level of the top sheet of the pile. The downwardpressure exerted by spring 26 must be greater than the effective upwardforce exerted by spring 18.

the brace 2 and at the other end to the lever 30.

When a can 48, contacting the roller 50, moves from the position A tothe position B, the levers 45 and the arm 38 rock about the shaft 40 toelevate the rod 36 which actuates the lever 30. The lever 30 rocks aboutthe pin 31 and applies the brake shoe 33 on the arrester wheel 12 tostop the rotation of the arrester wheel 12.

The can 48 moves from the position B to the position C, then the roller50 is more elevated and the rod 36 also; but now the arrester wheel 12and brake shoe 33 are used by the lever 30 as a fulcrum to raise thearms 21,22 and the projection 20; this is the mechanism to control therelease of the labels. This mechanism operates without changing thelevel of the top label, it locks the movement of the platform tomaintain the top label at the same predetermined fixed level and raisethe projection 20 to free the top label from the pressure exerted by theactuating spring 18.

The projection 20 has a dual function. When a can 48 moves out ofcontact with roller 50, the projection always comes back to the samepredetermined fixed level and thereafter, the brake shoe 33 releases thearrester wheel 12 to permit the elevation of the platform by theactuating spring 18 to bring the second label to the said predeterminedfixed level where said label is held captive.

The modified embodiment of the pack advancer shown in FIG. 2 is similarto that in FIG. 1 but includes a somewhat different actuating mechanismcOmprising the sensing part 65 of an arm 68 located in the path of thepassing cans near the leading part of the pile. The arm 68 is slidablyguided in sleeve 70 which is held in place by brace 2. A sleeve 69 ispivotally mounted on the arm 68 by means of a pin 71. A compressionspring 72, backed by a nut 73 screwed on the arm 68, bears on the sleeve70 to urge the arm 68 upwards. A lever 74, pivotally mounted at one endon the pin 31 of the arm 22 is slidably guided at the other end insleeve 69.

A brake shoe 75 is mounted at a point along the lever 74, by means ofbolt-and-nut arrangement 76, in a position to contact the arrester wheel12 when the lever 74 is depressed. A nut 77 screwed on arm 68 andbearing on sleeve 70 adjusts the distance between the arrester wheel 12and the brake shoe 75 when the sensing part 65 is not actuated by a can.When the sensing part 65 is depressed by a can, the brake shoe 75contacts and stops the movement of the arrester wheel 12 before beingused as a fulcrum to raise the projection 20.

As a can 66 rolls in a clockwise movement on the rails 67 from theposition M to the position N, it begins to depress the arm 68 andcompress the small spring 72; so the lever 74 rocks about the shaft 31to apply the brake shoe 75 on the arrester wheel 12 to stop the movementof the platform.

The can 66 passes from the position N to the position P and continues todepress the arm 68 without depressing the pile which stays at the samefixed level slightly above the level of the rails. The brake shoe 75 andarrester wheel 12 are then used as a fulcrum to raise the arm 22, theprojection and the adhesive distributor 32. Then the can 66 meets theoffset 87 of the rails 67 to release the label from under said adhesivedistributor. The can continues to turn to permit the levelling operationof the second label of the pile at the same fixed level as the firstlabel. The adjustment ofthe level of the top of the pile is made bymeans of the nut 29. When the control of the release of the labels isnot actuated by a can, the brake shoe 75 is normally released from thearrester wheel 12; the actuating spring means is normally energized topress the top of the pile against the projection 20 or adhesivedistributor 32.

What I claim is:

l. A pack advancer for sheet fed machines, comprising in combination, avertically movable support for a pack of sheets, a detent normally heldat a fixed level above said support, means urging said support upwardlywhereby the uppermost sheet in the pack on the support engages saiddetent, means for raising said detent above its normally fixed levelwhereby to release the uppermost sheet for feeding, means for holdingsaid support against rising while said detent is in its raised position,and sheet demand responsive means operative as a unit to sequentiallyactuate said support holding means and said detent raising means so thatthe support is held before the detent is raised and is released afterthe detent is lowered, said means for holding said support including arotary member which is rotated as a function of vertical movement of thesupport and, a brake engageable with said rotary member, said means forraising said detent including a vertically slidable rod carrying thedetent, and said sheet demand responsive means including a levercarrying said brake and having a pivot at a point remote from the brakewhich connects the lever to said slidable rod, said lever being movablein response to sheet demand to sequentially apply the brake to saidrotary member and then slide said rod upwardly to raise said detent.

2. The pack advancer as defined in claim 1 together with means biasingsaid detent downwardly to its nOrmally fixed level with a force greaterthan that of said means for urging said support upwardly.

3. The pack advancer as defined in claim 1 which is furthercharacterized in that said pivot provides a fulcrum for movement of saidlever in applying said brake to said rotary member.

4. The pack advancer as defined in claim 1 which is furthercharacterized in that contact of said brake with said rotary memberprovides a fulcrum for movement of said lever in Sliding said rod.

5. The pack advancer as defined in claim 1 which is furthercharacterized in that said pivot provides a fulcrum for movement of saidlever in applying said brake to said rotary member, and in that a pointof contact of the brake with the rotary member provides a fulcrum formovement of the lever in sliding said rod, the lever fulcrum beingshiftable automatically from said pivot to said point of contact whenthe brake is applied.

1. A pack advancer for sheet fed machines, comprising in combination, avertically movable support for a pack of sheets, a detent normally heldat a fixed level above said support, means urging said support upwardlywhereby the uppermost sheet in the pack on the support engages saiddetent, means for raising said detent above its normally fixed levelwhereby to release the uppermost sheet for feeding, means for holdingsaid support against rising while said detent is in its raised position,and sheet demand responsive means operative as a unit to sequentiallyactuate said support holding means and said detent raising means so thatthe support is held before the detent is raised and is released afterthe detent is lowered, said means for holding said support including arotary member which is rotated as a function of vertical movement of thesupport, and a brake engageable with said rotary member, said means forraising said detent including a vertically slidable rod carrying thedetent, and said sheet demand responsive means including a levercarrying said brake and having a pivot at a point remote from the brakewhich connects the lever to said slidable rod, said lever being movablein response to sheet demand to sequentially apply the brake to saidrotary member and then slide said rod upwardly to raise said detent. 2.The pack advancer as defined in claim 1 together with means biasing saiddetent downwardly to its nOrmally fixed level with a force greater thanthat of said means for urging said support upwardly.
 3. The packadvancer as defined in claim 1 which is further characterized in thatsaid pivot provides a fulcrum for movement of said lever in applyingsaid bRake to said rotary member.
 4. The pack advancer as defined inclaim 1 which is further characterized in that contact of said brakewith said rotary member provides a fulcrum for movement of said lever insliding said rod.
 5. The pack advancer as defined in claim 1 which isfurther characterized in that said pivot provides a fulcrum for movementof said lever in applying said brake to said rotary member, and in thata point of contact of the brake with the rotary member provides afulcrum for movement of the lever in sliding said rod, the lever fulcrumbeing shiftable automatically from said pivot to said point of contactwhen the brake is applied.